The British Horse Society HQ : New Warwickshire Building

The British Horse Society HQ Warwickshire

HRH the Princess Royal Opens £3.5 Million Archial-Designed ‘Doughnut’ HQ for The British Horse Society

Today (22.02.11) HRH the Princess Royal officially opened the new £3.5 million headquarters building for The British Horse Society.

The landmark building replaces the charitable organisation’s previous outmoded premises and sits within Abbey Park on a 3.5 acre site in rural Warwickshire. It was designed by Archial, one of the country’s largest architectural practices and a member of the global Ingenium Group of companies.

The rural location of the new HQ building had a direct impact on its design, presenting the architects with a number of planning issues and design constraints. These included a requirement for the structure to be limited to a single storey in order to minimise any impact on the openness of the green belt beyond.

Archial’s ingenious solution to the brief was to create a ‘doughnut’ shaped building which completely surrounds a mature oak tree. The façade is constructed from natural stone: European oak cladding and sedum were used on the roof. The latter was specified in order to create an eco-system around the central tree, ensuring its preservation through the retention of a moist environment around its roots.

There is also an ancient sweet chestnut which stands adjacent to the main entrance. This tree is reputed to be the second oldest in Warwickshire and, according to local legend, Robin Hood slept beneath it when passing through the area. In addition, car parking spaces are woven in-between established trees.

Simon Crosby, director in Archial’s Birmingham office said: “The British Horse Society asked for a building which not only offered a stimulating and efficient space in which to work, but also created a future asset for the charity.

“Our focus was on delivering a high-quality building, using natural and sustainable materials where possible. As a result of The Society’s strong commitment to sustainability, we employed the latest materials, principles and technology to save energy, reduce running costs and minimise the building’s impact on the countryside.”

The new HQ boasts exemplary office accommodation with a range of facilities, including meeting rooms, a staff restroom, ‘break out’ areas, a library and extensive landscaped grounds, with outdoor recreational and seating areas in the central courtyard.

The British Horse Society occupies nearly three quarters of the building’s 20,000 sq.ft. The plan is that, over time, various other equine organisations will be brought under the same roof; the remainder of the building is available for letting.